Mother holds candlelight vigil for pregnant daughter killed in drive-by shooting

MIAMI – A grieving mother held a candlelight vigil on Friday night at Morningside Park in Miami’s Upper East Side neighborhood to mourn her daughter Rabiah Ahmad.

Ahmad, a Miami hairstylist and cosmetologist known for her House of Kiyomi brand, was 28 weeks pregnant when she was the victim of a drive-by shooting on July 31st in Maryland. Doctors pronounced her dead Aug. 1. She was 30.

Her mother, Jameelah Ahmad, was looking forward to being a grandmother to a little baby girl named Ahja. But after an emergency delivery, the baby only lived for four days.

“When she walked into a room, this is that one person, when they walk into a room she lights up the entire room, that was my daughter,” Jameelah Ahmad said.

Artist Suzi Analogue said she was respected and liked by Miami’s community of creatives.

“She was just known to the whole community of Miami as one of the best hair artists,” Analogue said. “She did hair in every community, every nationality.” 

Her cousin Lala Walker wrote on a GoFundMe page that she also loved to sing and was very creative.

“We are All traumatized & shaken by the lost of these angels before they even had to opportunity in Rabiah’s case to see her dream completely unfold & Ahja to put her stamp on Allah’s Green Earth,” Walker wrote. “I’m an absolute wreck.”

Howard County Police Department detectives have yet to make an arrest in the case. Rabiah Ahmad’s private funeral will be held on Saturday in Opa-locka.


About the Authors
Sanela Sabovic headshot

Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer. In August 2015, she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter. Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio, television and film from DePaul University.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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